Adama Sanogo Saved the Bulls' NBA All-Star Weekend Legacy

Bulls NBA All-Star Weekend legacy secured, according to Anderson.

With recent scrutiny focused on Chicago's lack of representation during the slate of events, let's reflect on the more positive Bulls' All-Star Weekend highlights over the last five decades.

The 1980s

The Dunk Contest was implemented as a permanent NBA All-Star Weekend event in 1984. Bulls small-forward Orlando Woolridge participated and delivered what's considered to be the first between-the-legs slam dunk in NBA history.

Michael Jordan's legendary Bulls career received immediate NBA All-Star recognition via his selection as a rookie starter on the 1985 NBA Eastern Conference Team. Jordan proceeded to deliver iconic back-to-back NBA Dunk Contest wins in 1987 and 1988, the latter including his legendary duel with Dominque Wilkins.

For good measure, Jordan earned 1988 NBA All-Star Game MVP honors with an astounding stat line of 40 points (with no three-point attempts), four blocks, four steals, eight rebounds, and three assists.

The 1990s

As a team, the Bulls achieved two NBA championship three-peats. However, Bulls guard Craig Hodges (1990, 1991, 1992) also has the distinction of being one of two NBA 3-Point Contest three-peat champions. The legendary Larry Bird (1986, 1987, 1988) is the other player to achieve the feat.

Bulls guard Steve Kerr also secured an NBA 3-Point contest title in 1997.

Bulls' Hall of Fame forward Scottie Pippen received his first starter selection to the NBA All-Star Game in 1992 and won the 1994 NBA All-Star Game MVP award. Jordan also earned two more NBA All-Star Game MVP awards in 1996 and 1998 during the Bulls' second three-peat era.

The 2000s

Despite the lean years following the end of the 1990s Bulls dynasty, the team still maintained a presence at NBA All-Star Weekend due to the franchise's emphasis on roster-building through the NBA Draft. Rookie No. 1 draft pick Elton Brand won the 2000 NBA Rising Stars Game MVP award . Later in the decade, rookies Luol Deng and Ben Gordon combined for 30 points in the 2005 NBA Rising Stars Game. Derrick Rose won the 2009 NBA Skills Challenge to close out the decade.

The 2010s

Rose continued his NBA All-Star momentum into the early 2010s, earning his first starter selection in 2011. Joakim Noah had NBA All-Star Game appearances in 2013 and 2014.

Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic contributed 16 points in the 2015 NBA Rising Stars Game. Two seasons later, Jimmy Butler earned his first NBA All-Star Game starter selection in 2017. Lauri Markkanen closed out the 2010s for the Bulls by contributing 21 points in the 2019 NBA Rising Stars Game.

The 2020s

In the current decade, Bulls fans have been rewarded with Zach Lavine's first NBA All-Star Game appearance in 2021 and DeMar DeRozan'starter selection in 2022.

Finally, the Bulls' NBA All-Star weekend legacy has recently been bolstered by Ayo Dosunmu's appearances in the NBA Rising Stars game in 2022 and 2023.

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